Are UK supermarkets ready for Brexit? September 25, 2019 “One can say very clearly what the direction will be: higher prices, less choice, and poorer quality, because all of those dimensions have been improved by these open trading relationships that we’ve had over the last 40 years […] Brexit, almost in whatever version it is, will introduce friction, it will introduce barriers. That makes [...]
Failed Asda merger ‘trigger’ for Sainsbury’s CEO Mike Coupe’s exit January 22, 2020 The departure of Sainsbury’s boss Mike Coupe’s was sparked by the failure to merge the supermarket with rival Asda, analysts said today. Industry experts said it was impossible to look beyond the failure of the Asda merger, and felt his resignation – announced today – was simply a matter of time. Coupe was caught on [...]
Why banning after-work emails is a bad idea November 25, 2019 From “Massage Mondays” to “Drinks Trolley Fridays”, many organisations have started putting wellbeing initiatives in place to combat burnout. Even airports are thinking about the wellbeing of their customers by bringing puppies and pigs into their lounges to calm passengers facing delayed flights. But how effective are these initiatives in actually reducing stress? Double-edged sword [...]
Debate: After Tesco revealed plans to launch a discount chain, can it compete with Aldi and Lidl? | City A.M. July 24, 2018 After Tesco revealed plans to launch a discount chain, can it compete with Aldi and Lidl? Yes – Tim Smith is head of retail at Konica Minolta Marketing Services. One of Tesco’s strengths is having the confidence to observe and learn from the work of other retailers. After investing in the customer journey and looking [...]
Aldi targets London expansion as profit falls September 16, 2019 Aldi is planning to expand in London as the budget supermarket seeks new customers following a sharp drop in profit. The company said it will more than double the number of stores inside the M25 from 45 to 100 by the end of 2025 including new smaller “local” high street branches. Read more: Aldi champagne [...]
Sainsbury’s slips behind supermarket rivals after Asda merger blocked April 30, 2019 Sainsbury's sales fell behind those of rivals in the three months to the end of April, according to data released just a week after the supermarket's £7.3bn Asda merger was blocked. Sainsbury’s suffered a 1.2 per cent fall in sales compared to the same period last year, data group Kantar's statistics showed, while Aldi and Lidl [...]
Waitrose offloads stores risking hundreds of jobs July 18, 2019 Waitrose is set to close three stores and sell a further four, putting hundreds of jobs at risk, the supermarket announced this afternoon. Budget grocery chain Lidl has snapped up stores in Bromley, Oadby in Leicestershire and Wollaton in Nottinghamshire. Read more: Waitrose sets out £1bn online shopping plan A fourth store in Sandhurst, Berkshire, has [...]
Iceland mulls bid for potential Sainsbury’s-Asda store sell-offs February 11, 2019 Frozen foods giant Iceland is mulling a move to snap up supermarket stores that Sainsbury’s and Asda could be forced to offload as part of their proposed tie-up. "We are looking at everything for sure," Iceland's managing director Richard Walker told the FT. "Food retail drives footfall and we are the only supermarket that is [...]
Dentsu Aegis launches new UK marketing agency after mega-merger June 6, 2019 Advertising firm Dentsu Aegis has launched a new UK marketing agency after merging four of its existing brands. Read more: Dentsu Aegis buys creative agency BJL as it expands in the north Dentsu said its new agency, Dentsu X, will bring together skills in media, technology, creativity and data to offer a full-service proposition to [...]
Aldi sales soar as Sainsbury’s slips behind rivals in supermarket shopping league March 5, 2019 Aldi and Lidl have boosted sales again, it emerged today, as the biggest supermarkets continued to shed market share to the discounters. Aldi’s sales grew by 10 per cent in the three months to the end of February compared to the same period the year before, according to figures released today by Kantar Worldpanel, a consumer insights [...]